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Obama raises money as polls sink

President Obama looks over his options for lunch before a roundtable discussion with small business owners at Grand Central Bakery in Seattle, Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2010. |
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Most political analysts expect congressional Democrats to take big losses this November, but the White House was pushing positive odds Tuesday. Deputy press secretary Bill Burton told reporters the president “does think that we will hold on to both the House and Senate.”

Before jumping into fundraising Tuesday afternoon, Obama greeted a few dozen supporters at the Seattle airport, even wading into the crowd to shake some extra hands. At the end of the rope line, he cooed at the baby of a former Clinton press aide; the infant wailed, and Obama laughed.

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Then it was on to Grand Central Bakery, where Obama shifted between retail politicking — “Great place; really beautiful neighborhood” — and attacking Senate Republicans as a “small partisan minority” trying to block passage of a bill to aid small businesses.

“There will be plenty of time between now and November to play politics, but the small business owners beside me and around the country don’t have time for political games,” said Obama, flanked by several local businesspeople. “So when Congress reconvenes, this jobs bill will be the first thing out of the gate.”

Moments later, the president stepped onto the stage at the Westin and dished out a heaping does of partisan politics. He knocked the GOP as having a slogan of “No, we can’t,” the opposite of his 2008 campaign mantra, “Yes, we can.”

“That’s really inspiring, this vision they have for the future,” Obama quipped. “Gives you a little pep in your step when you hear it: ‘No we can’t.’”

The presidential politicking began Monday in Milwaukee, where Obama raised money for the Wisconsin Democratic Party and gubernatorial candidate Tom Barrett.

Obama continues on Wednesday to two of the most pivotal states for him in 2008: Ohio and Florida, both of which will be even more important to his reelection bid in 2012

In Columbus, Ohio, the president literally will sit around the kitchen table with a middle-class family to discuss their concerns about the economy. He’ll then take questions from about 40 of the family’s neighbors at a small town hall-style gathering.

Afterward, he continues on the campaign trail. He will raise money for Ohio Democratic Party, including Gov. Ted Strickland. In Florida, he will headline during events for the state party while wrapping his arm around gubernatorial candidate Alex Sink.

Asked Tuesday whether the president enjoys campaigning, Burton said: “He appreciates the opportunity to go out there and make the case to the American people.”

Readers' Comments (106)

All the change you have worked for is not the kind of change the majority of americans are looking for. You will soon find that out. You can stick your head in the sand only so long and eventually you have to come up for air. If you stick your finger in the wind of that air their going to find that most of us do not think their socialist agenda is what this country wants. That is why he is sinking like a rock and so will many others. This country is too important to be written off by a president who thinks he is fixing things when we know he is really just making a farce of our constitution and form of government. No president should be so isolated and out of touch as he is. Most likely however he is neither. Its a long term plan set in motion by years of reverend wright and his socialist buddies in chicago. We are not fooled.

About polls and the well-oiled precision spin machine run by the Republicans. They are experts at getting a message out and staying on it relentlessly, and sincere kudos to them for this well-developed skill! Democrats absolutely suck at this and Robert Gibbs' complete FAIL as press secretary, preferring jokes and snippy remarks to serious dialogue, doesn't help. Republcans' singular goal and message in the last 2 years has NEVER varied: The complete character assassination of Barack Obama. While their methods are varied (ex. blockage of all efforts by an Obama administration to carry out initiatives for the American people, relentless false labels of "evil intent": socialist, marxist, terrorist, etc) the specific message stays clear and it is this: Barack Obama is intrinsically evil, dangerous, intends to destroy you and your country, and must be stopped at all costs.

S P I N is not picky. Plain truth or blatant lies - it spins the same. The only difference is the ability and integrity of those running the machine.

Imam 0zer0 is completely tone deaf to the needs of Americans. He was for the victory mosque before he was against it. His wife, the first mongrel, does her best imitation of Maria Antoinette with her lavish taxpayer funded Spanish vacation while the working class Americans struggle to just eat bread, let alone cake. November 2 is going to be the second "shot heard round the world", when real Americans take back their country from the libtard dumbcrats.

All libtards know how to do is Tax and Spend to make the people slaves. That’s why 70 congressional dumbcrats caucus with the Socialist Party of America. The 0zer0 libtard agenda has been rejected by repubs, independents, seniors, and conservatives. Everyday the opposition to the 0zer0 regime builds. Real Americans that love their country will oppose the socialist slavery he and libtard dumbcrats are peddling.

0zer0, his regime and all the libtard dumbcrats only care about power. They have declared war on America to maximize that power. They redistribute the wealth of producers to their backers, who are nothing but leaches on the economy and society. Illegal Immigrants, Unions, Banks, Wallstreet, Insurance Companies, Environmental Nazis, Education Idiots, Gays, Hollywood, Lame Stream Media, and Welfare Queens. The dumbcrats are destroying the country piece by piece with their arrogance, hypocrisy, incompetence, and lust for power.

America has seen through their lies. The poor libtard dumbcrats and 0zer0 fail time after time. They can't plug the hole in the border. They didn’t know how to clean up the gulf, or how to fix the economy, jobs, housing, Freddie & Fannie, or the deficit. They gave us death panels, and destroyed healthcare and the energy industry. They bailed out Wallstreet, AIG, banks, teachers, and Government and Communist Motors to keep their lobbyists and unions happy. They can't contain N.Korea or Iran, were wrong about Iraq, and are failing in Afghanistan. Even Gitmo is still open. The war on radical islamic terrorists is now Imam 0zer0’s war against man made human disasters. He fights the war with fatwas giving Miranda rights to foreign terrorists, and spends taxpayer money to build a victory mosque at the 9/11 site, while refusing to let the St. Nicholas Orthodox church that was destroyed on 9/11 be rebuilt.

Everyday the failures of the libtard dumbcrats and the 0zer0 Regime prove Joe Wilson correct when he told 0zer0:"You Lie!"

Their ideas are not working and they are all being held accountable. Like cornered rats, the 0zer0 regime and litard dumbcrats are turning on each other. It's time to take back America from the marxist fascists.

America has rejected the Great Divider, Campaigner-In-Chief, Dear Reader Leader, the mongrel messiah, the closet muslim, marxist fascist narcissist petulant man-child 0zer0. November can't come soon enough so America can undo their mistake in 2006 when they let the dumbcrats run wild. This time they will throw out the libtard dumbcrats in 2010, and complete the purge of the putrid garbage in 2012 when 0zer0 is removed.

Not sure if the people who 'actually want to work' can 'wait a few more years' for the economy to 'turn around.' If 'capitalism' wasn't such a 'dirty word', our economy wouldn't take several more years to run robust. Our free markets need to be able to flow freely again. Our's is the land of opportunity, and the land of the free - not 'obamas' land of the 'freebies.'

Sooner or later other people's money runs out. 'Social Justice' is ruining America. If everyone would stop worrying about being a 'Minority' we would be a ' Majority', then much could be accomplished. Got to get rid of the 'birdfeeder'.

Being the President, Congressman, Senator and various government jobs federal and state, used to be a 'service' to the country and it's people. Now its used as a springboard to financial gain, bloated pensions, political points for re-election and a Power Trip,!

Screw the people we know better. Yea, most of us know basic economics Mr nO

Now, they **** the American people by spending THEIR MONEY so foolishly, then putting salt on the wound and raising taxes to make up for all the foolish spending. There is only logic to this for the Democrats - no sane person with any economic ability can find logic in it!! Ya can't fix a problem by throwing money at it! It takes actual know how and WORK . - work - something half this country has forgotten to do. And now thanks to the Libs, even WORK is something for those who are self reliant, can't get...When they say America is being destroyed from the inside I believe it. But I still have Faith.

The Government corruption is dispicable! And a 'slap on the wrist' is even worse!

Our Government has fallen to pandering to every 'group' who feels (sniff sniff) violated - perceived or otherwise (get over it), be glad you live in the free world. Now its the Muslims and Sharia Law!!!

Why are so many people so hateful of America? Especially the young people?

I love America her good and her bad, and there is actually more good than bad - Or at least there was...

Jimmy Carter must be thrilled that Obama may beat him out of the title for the worst president in the last 40 years. And stop with the whining about character assassination by Republicans. The dummycrats did and are still going after George Bush. Do you remember those idiots saying Bush is not my president? wah wah wah wah wah

Though he expressed rock-solid confidence that his economic policies are taking the country in the right direction, Obama warned the crowd that it could take a couple more years before the economy is completely healthy again.

Well what is it mr president...a "couple of years" or "spending one trillion dollars" on nothing

That's what he said about the stimulus and the unemployment rate...hows that working out for us?

That's what he said about all of the jobs that were going to get created. All obama has done is get his agenda passed trough congress ( by twisted means ) and spend us into financial oblivion.

This guy just does not understand that you cannot tax and spend your way out of a recession.

His policies are failing, he is leading us down a path to failure and frankly allot of us don't have two years for the economy to get better.

The American people know it, that's why so many of the know that were are not on the right track.

The fact that he says the opposite means that he is lying or incredibly ignorant.

"The truth is it’s going to take a few years to fully dig ourselves out of this recession," Obama said. "Anybody who tells you otherwise is just looking for your vote.

Mr. President, you AND your administration will have to keep telling this over, and over, and over, and over, and over, to the thick-headed, ADD afflicted, utterly stupid Americans who believe in candy fairies and sweet blossom tulip instant magic.